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Sunday, April 22, 2012

Lambing season started on February 24th this year, and in midst of all the excitement (and sleep deprivation), a lot of cute moments were downloaded from my camera and then forgotten in the files. These are some favorite photos of our 34 bouncing babies.

Final lamb count: 34. Number of mama sheep: 18. Sets of triplets: 2. Sets of twins: 12. Lambs born to ewes we didn't actually breed: 1 (apparently Edward really can do it through the fence). Number of lambs lost: 0!

Date the first lambs were born: February 24th. Date we expected the first lambs to be born: March 1st. Date the last lambs were born: March 27th (Joe's birthday!).

Number of pregnant ewes who turned out not to be pregnant, just really fat because they'd been eating for two (or three or four) for months: 3. Number of times that's happened before: 0. Number of rams we used last fall: 2. Number of those rams we won't be using this fall: 1 (sorry, Edward).

The end of lambing season kind of sneaked up on us this year, as we kept waiting and hoping for those last three pregos to start putting on bags and prove they really were prego. Last week we finally realized it wasn't going to happen—even with Eugenie, who really had that pregnant sheep shape going—and we moved those three (along with ten-year-old retired Silly, who got to live and eat with the pregos all winter) out with the non-mama splinter flock.

Not getting those three to six last expected lambs was disappointing and really lowered our final lamb count, although two sets of triplets and Ava's surprise ewe lamb did help. We were shooting for a 200% lamb crop, meaning two live lambs for each ewe, so we did get close. Overall, things went well and it was a good lambing season.

Things got a little dicey when Friendly's triplets refused to come out after several hours in labor, and then a few days later Little Dee Dee's twins both wanted to come out at the same time. My junior vet skills were definitely put to the test when it became clear that in both cases we would lose the lambs and the ewes if I didn't go in and get the babies out.

I'm proud to say that all five lambs, along with their mothers, are doing fine. They were some very James Herriot moments—except for the telephone headset I was wearing as a friend coached me through the deliveries.

In the end, we didn't lose a single lamb this year, which is quite a feat—and helps make all the hard work and sleep deprived nights worth it.

And don't worry—lambing season may be over, but the cute lamb photos won't be stopping just yet. There are more where these came from, with new ones being snapped all the time.

Thanks so much for sharing your details and delightful pictures. Of course, I picture James Herriott every time I hear you mention their births. Don't his stories just take you away..? Thanks for mentioning him too! Susan, will you not use Edward this fall because of his being the father to much of the flock? You have surely helped me learn there is a true art to farming and livestock rearing and you 2 sure make it fun to watch. Oh!!! My chard's in the ground, thanks to you!!! Many, many thanks.

Oh, what a relief to have lambing over with and everyone safely on the ground. Glad it went well. And those nonpreggos are sooo frustrating. I have a doe due in May. Maybe. One day I look at her and think she and one day I look at her and think she isn't. In the meantime she gobbles as much expensive preggo grain as she can! Stevie@ruffledfeathersandspilledmilk.com

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